I craft coming-of-age stories about adults who should’ve figured it out by now. I find the funny in the existential, writing character-driven comedies that use humor as a Trojan horse for emotional truth. My work explores what happens when our carefully constructed identities fall hilariously apart, and reassures us that we’re never too old to have no idea what we’re doing.
SATURN RETURN
feature film
Logline:
A canceled manifestation coach hitches a cross-country ride with a Gen-Z cynic in an attempt to restore her reputation and reclaim her coveted spot at an elite spirituality convention.
Placements:
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Roadmap Writers’ Top Tier Competition (Top 10)
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Launch Pad Feature Competition (Top 10)
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ScreenCraft Feature Competition (Finalist)
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Sundance Development Track (Second Round)
Selected Coverage:
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"SATURN RETURN is a shining example of tonal precision...this writer manages to satirize the absurdity of Paisley's world with a sense of compassion that prevents the comedy from feeling cheap or caricatureish....and in their impressive detail, the various US settings take full advantage of the road trip format. The central roles stand to entice some formidable talent (Paisley is a particularly delightful comedic vehicle), and life as a low-to-mid budget studio crowd-pleaser is hardly unrealistic. Separately, the project will also serve as a particularly versatile writing sample. While most calling card specs demonstrate a singular focus, the textured comedic tone shows off the writer's talent for the low-brow, the cerebral, and the non-sequitur in equal measure." - The Blacklist
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"The writer does such a wonderful job of fleshing out the protagonist. There's a really great balance between poking fun at the protagonist's flaws (and the world of wellness), while still ensuring the protagonist is a sympathetic figure. Meanwhile, her relationship with Kiara unfolds in organic fashion, leading to character arcs that feel earned." - ScreenCraft
CULTURALLY
half-hour dramedy pilot
Logline:
A secular Jewish woman is jolted into an identity crisis after being dumped for not being "Jewish enough," launching her on a messy, deeply personal journey to reconnect with the heritage she's spent her life suppressing.
Placements:
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Recognized by The Black List x Women in Film Episodic Lab, ATX TV Festival Pitch Competition, Austin Film Festival, and WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Lab
Selected Coverage:
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"There is a lot to like in this well-written and funny script. The characters are engaging, the pacing and rhythm are spot-on, and the dialogue is frequently funny. As a lead character in their twenties, Sarah is easy to sympathize with since she's someone trying to find herself both culturally and spiritually. The comedic timing throughout the script was excellent and continues throughout. The characters and situations...set up in the pilot script feel like they could be mined for an entire season's worth of stories." - Austin Film Festival
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"Culturally manages to skirt a thin line between funny and honest, real and entertaining. The plight of Sarah in this series, while specific to the Jewish community, is a plight shared across minority/oppressed groups and, generally, anyone denying a crucial aspect of themselves in order to better try and fit in with the larger society from a cultural standpoint. The dialogue...brings it home and packs laugh after laugh into the pilot's runtime." - WeScreenplay